The Fire of Surat Al-Masad and the Light of Surat Al-Ikhlas: Wisdom in their Placement

Ring Composition of Surah 111

Surah 111 Al-Masad, less commonly called Surat Lahab (flame) directly precedes Surat Al-Ikhlas (Sincerity) #112, one of the most important surahs in the Quran, one could say its very “heart.” Since I have seen “connections” between adjacent surahs, I wondered how two so vastly different surahs could be connected. To find the answer, I examined the surah using ring composition, as the illustration shows, supplementing this analysis with other Quranic verses, as well as examining the number of words and letters in this surah, and found some striking results.

Ayat Al-Nur: Revealed in Ring Composition, and Black Holes

Ring Composition of Ayat Al-Nur, Surat Al-Nur 24:35

This illustration reveals the connection between light and knowledge, otherwise not quite so obvious, by comparing the sections highlighted with the same color which form corresponding pairs starting with the first and last, then pairing them in mirror fashion towards the middle section which is the center and focal point of the aya. There is an expression “knowledge is light” or Al’alm nur in Arabic, and if one contemplates this statement more deeply, one finds that knowledge must be truth, ie stands up to the light of scrutiny, and further, the infinite and complex nature of that which needs to be illuminated is such that only God can be Omniscient. This observation is highlighted in this aya, which the analysis of this form of composition helps us see more clearly.

What Does “Islam” Mean?

It’s a common statement, used to counter non-Muslims’ erroneous idea that Islam is a warlike religion, that “Islam Means Peace.” Others, including many scholars and translators, assert that “Islam means submission——to submit to Allah.” But do either of these words convey the meaning of Islam in Arabic as used in the Quran? An examination of the possible translations for a Quranic word can often lead to a better understanding of Islam and/or the Quran and its message. And so I will introduce what I believe to be another possible interpretation/ translation of the word “Islam” in English, which is the word “surrender.”